Pistons sign John Lucas III to 10-day contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed John Lucas III to a 10-day contract, the team announced Monday morning. Word leaked Sunday afternoon the move was pending, and it allows the Pistons to audition a backup point guard without giving up any assets. Should Lucas III impress, he could earn a second 10-day contract, keeping him on the roster through the trade deadline, at which point Stan Van Gundy, Jeff Bower and the rest of the team's brain trust can decide if a trade is necessary. At the conclusion of two 10-day contracts, NBA teams must decide whether to guarantee a contract for the rest of the season or cut the player loose.

The team's official press release appears below:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons General Manager Jeff Bower announced today that the club has signed guard John Lucas III to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The 5’11", 166-pound guard joins the Pistons after spending the season in China with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association where he averaged 26.6 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 43.5 minutes in 26 games.

The Washington, DC native has spent parts of six seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz. He holds career averages of 4.8 points, 1.4 assists, 1.0 rebounds and 12.2 minutes in 216 games (eight starts) and is a career 34.7-percent shooter from three-point range.

Lucas has also spent time in the NBA’s Developmental League and played internationally in Italy, Spain and China. He played collegiately at Oklahoma State University.